Godfather Charged with Manslaughter After Infant Dies from Propped Bottle in Kissimmee

Dane Edwards, 23, faces manslaughter charges after 3-month-old Skylar Fisk choked on formula from an unsupervised propped bottle in a Florida apartment.

Godfather Charged After 3-Month-Old Chokes to Death on Formula in Florida Apartment

Dane Edwards, 23, has been charged with manslaughter by aggravated child abuse in the death of his 3-month-old godson, Skylar Fisk, after allegedly propping a feeding bottle against a stuffed animal and leaving the infant unsupervised for at least an hour. According to Law & Crime, the incident occurred on March 5, 2024, at an apartment complex in the 3200 block of Meridius Place in Kissimmee, Florida.

Deputies with the Osceola County Sheriff's Office responded around 11:40 a.m. to a report of an unresponsive infant. Paramedics transported Skylar to a nearby hospital, where he died. Doctors noted a "voluminous amount" of milk formula in the boy's esophagus, indicating he had aspirated.

Mother Had Explicitly Warned Against the Practice

Skylar's mother was in the shower at the time and had left Edwards — the godfather who also lived in the apartment — responsible for feeding the infant. She told investigators she had "asked everyone not to use the stuffed toy when feeding Skylar," citing fear that her son could choke, according to the probable cause arrest affidavit reviewed by Law & Crime. Skylar had recently been seen at a doctor's appointment and was in good health.

When the mother stepped out of the shower, she heard Edwards running with Skylar in his arms, shouting that the boy was not breathing. She began CPR. Formula was coming out of the infant's mouth and nose.

Edwards Initially Denied Using the Stuffed Toy

In an initial interview with detectives, Edwards claimed he fed Skylar around 8 a.m., then placed him in a baby swing with videos playing on a laptop. He said he left the bottle on the floor. When he checked on his godson around 11:30 a.m., he found him "blue" and unresponsive.

Detectives then asked Edwards to reenact the feeding using a doll. When he picked it up, the doll's head snapped back. He said, "I killed it," and laughed, according to the affidavit. He initially demonstrated a conventional feeding technique — cradling the doll in his arms — but later admitted to propping the bottle against the stuffed sloth while Skylar was seated in the baby swing.

Edwards argued that Skylar was strong enough to push the bottle away from his mouth if needed. Investigators flatly rejected that claim, stating it was "not possible" for a 3-month-old to do so.

"If This Falls on Anyone, It's Me"

"The timeline shows that at least an hour passed during which Skylar was left with an 8-ounce feeding bottle propped up by a stuffed sloth toy, unsupervised, demonstrating a reckless disregard for human life," detectives wrote in the affidavit.

When pressed further, Edwards grew combative and demanded an attorney. Before the interview concluded, he appeared to accept responsibility. "If this falls on anyone, it's me," he allegedly said.

An autopsy completed in October 2025 confirmed milk-based formula in Skylar's lungs. The medical examiner determined the death was "preventable."

"By his own admission, he knew the practice was unsafe and could result in death," detectives wrote in their conclusion. "This reckless conduct demonstrated a gross disregard for human life and directly resulted in Skylar's death."

Arrest in Missouri, Extradition to Florida

Authorities spent more than two years investigating the case before obtaining an arrest warrant in May. Edwards was arrested in Missouri and extradited to Florida, local NBC affiliate WESH reported. He was subsequently booked into the Osceola County Jail. No next court date had been listed as of the time of reporting.

Skylar's obituary described him as having "passed peacefully" at home. Edwards is referred to in the obituary as an "uncle" — one of several adults who lived in the apartment with the infant and his mother.

Source: Law & Crime